Rich Franklin may return to Light Heavyweight

“Rich has to make a decision. We’ve certainly considered going to 205 and seeing how he does up there. He’s fought almost everybody in the 185-pound division. There are some guys that he could fight, but if he beats them it knocks them out of title contention. And nobody is looking to see Rich and Anderson Silva 3 right now, including me. He’s not helping the 185-pound division right now by beating everybody up in it. We’ve talked about going to 205 and how would he match up with some of those guys, with a Forrest Griffin or a Keith Jardine. There’s a whole bunch of 205’s that I think would be interesting. In the end, we do what the UFC wants. If they want us to try 205, we’re up for it. If they want to keep us at 185, then we’ll do that too.”

Just think about the match ups at 205. so many good fights in my mind.

Forrest vs RichRich vs Machdia a rematch

that's just to name the few that I'd like to see first.

Machida beat Rich's ass once, and I think he'd do it again. Rich isn't a big enough fighter for 205. Sersiously a lot guys in that division cut from a lot higher weight than he's ever been. I don't see a reason for him to move to the most stacked division in the UFC if he can't win the title at his natural weightclass. I predict this is all rumor and hearsay and nothing will come of it.

189lber

5/2/08 11:08:54AM

I agree Rich isn't a big enough fighter for 205's but he might as well go up there and give it hell because there is no way he is going to beat Silva.

Porch28

5/2/08 11:19:21AM

I'd rather see him at 170

wrona666

5/2/08 12:26:04PM

Posted by Porch28

I'd rather see him at 170

Yeah good luck with that he is already huge at 185

IriShame

5/2/08 12:27:40PM

First of all his natural weight class is 205. He fought at it for the first half of his career and cuts weight to make 185. I'm not buying the "He's not big enough for 205" argument. Sure there are some guys that will be bigger than him but Rich is a puncher and I don't care what you weigh, you can be knocked out. The point here is that Rich has no shot at the title at middleweight and the division is very thin thus producing very few interesting matchups for one of the UFC's biggest stars. A move to 205 could give us quite a few headliner quality fights. Rich vs. Machida, Rich vs. Wanderlei, Rich vs. Hendo which of I've always maintained would be a better fight at 205, just to name a few. It will be a good move all around.

Twenty20Dollars

5/2/08 12:48:22PM

yeah wandy is small for LHW, rich is big for MW and used to fight at LHW so you cant really say he's small for that division when he used to there at his natural weight class. but whatever.

sry, I looked like on the main paige and didnt see it so I assumed. Prob the reason why I dont post news lol.

That is why you should search first.

Wolf

5/2/08 3:01:35PM

Posted by IriShame

First of all his natural weight class is 205. He fought at it for the first half of his career and cuts weight to make 185. I'm not buying the "He's not big enough for 205" argument. Sure there are some guys that will be bigger than him but Rich is a puncher and I don't care what you weigh, you can be knocked out. The point here is that Rich has no shot at the title at middleweight and the division is very thin thus producing very few interesting matchups for one of the UFC's biggest stars. A move to 205 could give us quite a few headliner quality fights. Rich vs. Machida, Rich vs. Wanderlei, Rich vs. Hendo which of I've always maintained would be a better fight at 205, just to name a few. It will be a good move all around.

You do realize the REASON Rich is at 185 is because he got absolutely destroyed by Machida at 205 already right?

Aaronno9

5/2/08 6:36:33PM

The thing is, it took rich a long time to get his body to where it is now. He said he used to have a hell of a hard time cutting weight when he first moved to 185, but he s eventually managed to cut down his muscle mass so its not a problem for him anymore. He'll have to train for who knows how long to get his body back to how he liked it for competing at 205. The way rich trains though, if he was to go back to 205 im sure he'd end up being stronger than most guys in the division after a while. Id rather he stayed at 185 tbh, theres still more good fights for him there

nate marquardtMartin kapmanDamian maia mabeys?Rematch with quarryBisping if he gets by lebenAmeldia

I guess the problem is though if he beats these guys, which he probably will, theres going to end up being nobody getting through to anderson. Id rather silva moved up, i think he could make for some awesome fights a 205.

postman

5/2/08 9:17:48PM

Posted by Wolf

Posted by IriShame

First of all his natural weight class is 205. He fought at it for the first half of his career and cuts weight to make 185. I'm not buying the "He's not big enough for 205" argument. Sure there are some guys that will be bigger than him but Rich is a puncher and I don't care what you weigh, you can be knocked out. The point here is that Rich has no shot at the title at middleweight and the division is very thin thus producing very few interesting matchups for one of the UFC's biggest stars. A move to 205 could give us quite a few headliner quality fights. Rich vs. Machida, Rich vs. Wanderlei, Rich vs. Hendo which of I've always maintained would be a better fight at 205, just to name a few. It will be a good move all around.

You do realize the REASON Rich is at 185 is because he got absolutely destroyed by Machida at 205 already right?

I know he lost by tko in the 2nd but I never saw that fight did he really get destroyed?

postman

5/2/08 9:29:33PM

Ok so I just found that video and posted here on the playground. Machida did beat him pretty bad that being said I don't think that looks like the Franklin of now and Machida needs to fight like that agian.